Mahda Water Project – clean water for thousands of families in need in Sa’ada, Yemen
Implemented by Sana'a Water and Sanitation Local Corporation and UNICEF with funding from the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre
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We all know that “Water is Life!” But having constant access to a safe water supply we may forget what it can mean for people and how much it affects their lives.
“People in this area suffered a lot from the lack of water,” – says Sadeq Al Nakhaie, general director of the local corporation for Water and Sanitation for Sa'ada Governorate, - “Some families here got water from the special distribution trucks, it cost them up to 2000 Ryals for cubic meter. Those who could not afford it fetched water from distant wells. They had to carry canisters on their shoulders, sometimes with the help of their young children who had to give up studies to help their families.”
Unlike numerous rehabilitation projects curated by UNICEF in Yemen today, the Mahda Water Project is a new construction meant to respond to a dire need for water supplies in the area.
“People are in dire need of water in the area due to a significant population growth in the past few years” – says Eng. Safwan Abed, the engineer supervising the Mahda water project in Al-Safra District, Sa’ada Governorate, Yemen, - “unfortunately, other similar projects in this area have never been finished. Therefore, we are very grateful to UNICEF and its donors today!”
The ongoing conflict in Yemen has forced thousands of people out of their homes. Many displaced families found their new homes in Sa`ada Governorate. However, as so often in such cases, local infrastructure, which was already weakened by the conflict, was not ready for such a population growth spurt. This could lead to the development of a true humanitarian crisis in the area.
“This project will make a big difference in the region in many ways,”
“It will help many families and bring stability to the region.”
“When the tower starts pumping water, it will return kids who left school to help their families back to studies,” – adds Al Nakhaie, - “It will also save a great deal of money for the families, as from now on they will have to pay almost 10 times less for the much-needed water.”
The Mahda Water Project is a sufficient water pumping system based on sustainable solar energy.
“It will use solar energy to pump water into the tower tank” – explains Eng. Safwan Ahmed Abed, - “and its water supply system will provide safe clean water to Mahda and the areas around it. The previous water supply projects in the area were aimed at citizens' and agriculture needs at the same time, which was absurd,” – he admits, - “this UNICEF-sponsored project is aimed precisely at people's needs and it will cover needs of more than 2500 families.”
“We made a thorough study in the area, and submitted it to UNICEF,” - Al Nakhaie remembers, - “We are very grateful that the organization responded to our request, but we want to emphasize that the people in Yemen need more similar project all over the country. It gives them more than water. It allows to keep prices on a tolerable level, return children to schools, and prevent a humanitarian crisis in the region,” – he adds.
Al Mahda Water Project is implemented by Sana'a Water and Sanitation Local Corporation and UNICEF with funding from the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre.
